China Gold Reserves: The PBOC added 480,000 ounces of gold in June for a 20th straight month, lifting holdings to 75.44Moz even as bullion prices fell sharply. South Africa Diamonds: De Beers will pause Venetia mine production for two years to cut costs and rephase spending while it streamlines operations. Tanzania Tax & Compliance: Geita Gold Mining (GGML) won top TRA awards for compliance and tax contribution, underscoring mining’s growing role in Tanzania’s economy. Botswana Copper Contract: Westfill secured backfill and workforce training work at Khoemacau Copper Mine, including paste plant and testing support. DR Congo Critical Minerals Mapping: A US aviation firm is preparing to collect and integrate geological data to support new mining projects as competition with China heats up. Uranium Exploration Focus: Greenvale Energy flagged 13 priority uranium targets at its Thunderball project after a high-resolution airborne survey. Metallurgy Results: Rapid Critical Metals reported strong early flotation recoveries at its Webbs and Consol silver projects. Copper Project Upgrade: Sandfire’s Black Butte PFS adds the Lowry deposit, improving economics and extending mine life. Policy & Royalties: India’s Supreme Court upheld the Centre’s mining royalty formula, rejecting a challenge over “royalty on royalty.” Safety Incident: A miner died after an explosion at Kuria West gold mine in Kenya, with police investigating who triggered the blast. Lithium in Africa: Zamfara Governor unveiled a $200m lithium mining and processing plant, aiming to formalize the sector and move up the value chain. M&A Watch: Equinox Gold and Orla Mining merger gets positive proxy recommendations ahead of shareholder voting.